Very interesting question. I'm sorry I don't have much more to add now, maybe I'll come back to this thread later.
this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023
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I've thought about this question a lot, so I'm quite pleased to see that I'm not alone. I've been wondering myself when the great convergence will come--if it is destined to be, that is. I'm sorry to say that I think it's going to be an exceptionally long time because computing power, as you are realizing, is just one projection of a complex, high-dimensional computing space.
The first major attraction of using almost any PC-like system is the ecosystem. If the software you want to use isn't available, then the platform is essentially useless to all but developers and hobbyists that see the platform as an end in itself. Linux has a fantastic server ecosystem, for example. Windows has a great gaming ecosystem and access to probably the largest pool of legacy software in binary distribution format.. These are just broad generalizations of course, but my point is that no real user uses a computer 'just because' but they use it because it is useful for some purpose implemented by applications and supported by an ecosystem. This area is partially addressed by emulators and compatibility layers, but not fully subsumes it because of the limitations of today's technology.
The next major dimension that comes to mind is the form factor. I love the Steam Deck because it's handheld. I don't want it to be a Desktop gaming experience. Similarly, I don't really want to play Starcraft with a gaming controller. I really prefer a mouse and keyboard for maximum control. Users on smartphones prefer shorter, simpler experiences because it's less physically comfortable to spend long periods of time navigating a complex interface on a small screen. You might be able to address the form factor concern with new devices that allow the smarphone to interface with full-size screens and new user input devices, but this is not enough to push users who could benefit even more from another dimension such as access to another ecosystem, like office software on Desktop, that specializes in the kinds of tasks the user wishes to perform while also providing the perfect form factor.
Can software compatibility be solved with enough time and resources? Certainly. Can we force a smartphone-like platform to take on any physical form factor? Of course, we can. And given enough time, the momentum will change and advanced tools will become more readily available on mobile. However, this is not the situation today, and it's going to take more than physical form factor flexibility or emulating a hardware platform to really unify the computing systems we use into the one true system of the future. It's got to be the best solution for all use cases if users aren't going to want for something in addition, and I think that's a lot to ask.
TLDR; probably, but I think it's going to be a very long time because it's not enough to be functional. It has got to be a great solution, and that comes down to a lot more than just the size of the screen or the MHz in your CPU.
Well I mean Google keeps on adding features to the built in android desktop and it seems like it will ship officially on the pixel 8 series. Samsung, moto, honor/huwaie have their own version and are imo pretty good. Lg has one but they left the market a few years ago.
The biggest issue is the screen size. I mean, let's say you want to go somewhere, are you going to carry a monitor with you to connect to your smartphone? Laptops are just more convenient, but I still think it desktop mode will get better as time goes on.
I absolutely agree. And so far there is no good solution on the horison.
The technology with most potential is actually the current trend in phones: foldable screens.
There is quite a lot of hype around this, so someone will probably figure out that folding a screen more than once should also be possible.
Imagine an external monitor that you can fold two or three times and put into your pocket.
I really like the idea of the desktop mode but it's not implemented universally yet. And it may never be. Unless all phones use it, it won't be widespread in use.
I think the desktop will still be with us for a long time, especially laptops.
I recommend using Linux instead of Windows or Mac as it's the only real free, user freedom respecting, ethical, privacy respecting operating system.
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